Coupler



April 7, 1942.

'R. F. SCHNELLER COUPLER Filed April 12 1941 a u u Patented App 7, 1942COUPLER Rudy F. Schneller, St. Louis, Mo., assignoito LincolnEngineering Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of MissouriApplication April 12,1941, Serial No. 388,296

3 Claims.

This invention relates to couplers, andwith regard to certain morespecific features to couplers for fluidconduits.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provisionof. a simple and reliable coupler for making a fastening between an airor like conduit with a fitting; the provision of a coupler of this classwhich may be applied and removed with a high. degree of facility bynatural movements; the provision of a coupler of the class described inwhich fluid flow is automatically cut 011 upon detachment but which isstarted automatically upon attachment; 'and the provision of a'couplerof the class described in whichjis a low degree of resistance to flowafter attachment. Other objects will be in part obvious and in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts'which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated one of variouspossible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the coupler shown separated from afitting;

Fig.2 is a horizontalsection taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; s

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the coupling duringapplication to the fitting; and,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing completion of the attachment.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing. I

Referring now more particularly to Fig- 1, there is shown at numeral 1the body of a nipple or fitting F for receiving fluid, which in thiscase is air. This fitting F is threaded at 3 for fastening to anair-receiving compartment 5. The fitting is provided with aball-receiving'groove 1 which is behind a shoulder or enlargement 9.Above the shoulder 9 is a beveled portion l I connecting with acylindric sleeve l3. 2 1

Above the fitting F is shown the coupling C which consists of a guidesleeve l5 threaded onto a hollow body l1. to provide for attachment topart of the line 21 which is to be coupled.

At the lower end of the guide sleeve is an opening 23 which slidinglyfits the portions I and 9 of the fitting F. Extending radially from theopening 23 and through the sleeve 15 are three openings (Fig. 3) forclutch balls 21. The balls are located behind a shoulder 2 and are of aradius The body I1 is threaded at 19 to fit the radius of the groove 1when moved inwardly.

I The-balls 21 are prevented from moving inwardly from the positionshown'in Fig. 1 by a holding sleeve 29 which slides down into theopening 23 a distance to block inward movement of the balls. This sleevehas a chamfered lower edge 3| for engagement with the beveled portion llupon application to the fitting F. At its upper end the sleeve 29 isprovided with a flange 33 which rests upon a shoulder 35 to limitdownward movement. A compression spring 31 biases the sleeve 29 downwardfor engagement between the flange 33 and the shoulder 35 when thecoupling C is disconnected (Fig. l). The compression spring 31 reactsagainst a flange 39 of a fixed guide sleeve 4| which also is chamferedat its bottom end, as indicated at 43, so that it also may be guidedinto place over the cylindric portion l3. The upper edge portion 13 offitting F is rounded'at 45 to provide a smooth engagement with 31 and43.

The sleeve 4| is stationary, being held in the body 11 by the threadedsleeve l5. The flange 39 holds in position a packing 41 which, duringassembly, is lightly compressed endwise, so that it radially hugs theportion 13 of the fitting F when applied. This forms a leak-proof seal-The packing 41 also forms a seat for a rim seat 49 of a hexagonal valve5|. The seat 49 is round to form a complete .seal when seated. while theupper portion of the valve is made hexagonal to pass air.

Extending from the lower portion of the valve 5| is a pair of extensions53 for contacting the end of the fitting F. These will pass air betweenthem at 55 when the valve is open. ,The valve is normally held to itsseat on the packing 41 by means of a compression spring 51. Thus whenthe coupling C is detached, the valve is normally closed by the spring51 and in addition by pressure behind it (Fig. 1).

Around the body I1 is a sliding outer sleeve 59, having a guide portion61 sliding on theflanged vend 2 of the sleeve I5. This outer sleeve 59is provided with an inward shoulder 63 which is chamfered as indicatedat 65. The sleeve is movable back into a position where the chamfer isabove the balls 21. When .the balls 21 are prevented from movinginwardly by the sleeve 29, they hold up the sleeve 59 by interlockingaction at the chamfer 65. The sleeve 59 is biased downward by means of acompression spring 61 positioned ina space 69 in the body 11 andreacting at the upper end against body l1. In the lower position ofsleeve 59, the shoulder 63 at chamfer 65 rests upon flange 2.

Qperation is as follows, referringfirst to Fig. 1:

The valve 51 is shut by reason of the biasing action of the spring 51and the pressure of the fluid behind it. It forms a seal on therelatively to draw back soft seat of the packing ll, which may be madeof artificial rubber, for example. The coupling C at this time isgrasped around he outer sleeve.

59 (which is-knurled) and-simply pushedtoward the fitting F. Thisis anatural movement for the purpose.

As shown in Fig. 4, the inner locking sleeve 29' matic under bias fromspring 91. Thus the sleeve 59 moves from the Fig. 4 to the Fig. 5position without additional manual push. This automatically locks theballs 21 into the groove 1, so that pressure reaction will not blow thecoupling and the fitting apart (Fig. 5).

During the movement illustrated in Fig. 4, the guide sleeve II alsocomes into position over the cylindric portion l3, and guides thepacking 41 into sealing position around the end of the fitting. At thesame time, the extensions 59 are contacted to open the valve 5| againstthe bias of the spring 51 and against the bias of the pressure of thefluid behind the valve. Flow through the coupling is. therefore releasedasindicated by arrows in Fig. 5.

from the fitting, the manual pull is naturally in thedirection formovingthe sleeve 59 against the'bias-ofspring i'l. Thus, the action neededanyway i for withdrawing the coupling from the fittingis the same oneused to unlock the balls. Then as the coupler is withdrawn, the lockingsleeve 29 automatically moves into position to hold the balls where theywill hold the sleeve 59 in retracted position until the nextapplication. Furthermore, the sleeve 29 prevents the balls 21 fromfalling out into the central opening 29.

While the sleeve 29 can be relied upon during operation for holding inthe balls, they are additionally held by the action of a slight chamferat. the inner ends of the openings 25, as shown at 30. This is tofacilitate assembly and to prevent loss of the balls should the sleeve29 be pushed back by hand when the coupler is not on the fitting. Thesechamfers must, however, not be enough to interfere with the inwardpositioning of the balls; as indicated in Fig. 5.

The member l5 may be considered to be an "extension from the body l1,being permanently Release is quite easily eil'ected simply by pullingupon the sleeve 59. This withdraws the shoulder 63 into the positionshown in Fig. 4

to release the balls 21 from the groove I. Pulling results in liftingthe sleeve l5. This lifts the balls clear ofthe shoulder 9 on thefitting F and they become trapped behind locking sleeve 29.

At the same time, as the packing 41 is withdrawn from the end of thecylindric portion, IS, the

valve 5| automatically shuts against-outflow of I fluid. An advantage ofthe invention is the ease of application. In various sleeve types ofcouplers heretofore proposed, it was necessary manually e sleeve whiletrying to push forward the coup er as a whole. These unnatural andinconsistent movements were diiflcult to perform. a

With the present coupler, the sleeve 59 is simply ,pressed down. withthe same pressure that applied the coupling, and as soon as the locksleeve 29 releases the balls, the spring 61 automatically pushesdown thesleeve 59 with a snap,

help ng the operator's hand to lock in the balls. The snap-action isalso a signal that coupling has been completed. To conceive moreeffectivehr of the advantage in this respect, it may be noted that ifthe fitting is pressed into the coupler while holding the couplerstationary, without touching the sleeve 59, the action is to pushback'the locking sleeve 29 whereupon the spring 1 6 1 automatically,without even being touched,

moves toward the fltting-to'push the balls into locking position. Thisfact of the automatic'action of the sleeve 59 in" the direction in whichit is being manuallypush ed, provides a very desirable operatingfeature.- It will be understood however, that the invention also hasadvantages without the spring 91.

Furthermore, upon pulling the coupler away received.

threaded thereon.

The simplicity of the construction is apparent from the drawing and itmay be carried out in reliable forms at low cost.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawing shall be'interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim: i 1. A coupler comprising means for receiving the end. of afitting and having radial openings, radially movable locking membersinsaid openings, an independent sliding sleeve inside the openings andcapable of locking said members out, an independent sliding sleeveexterior to the V openings and capable 'oflocking said members in,independent meansfor biasing said sleeves toward locking positions, thelocking members.

permitting only one sleeve at a time to be located in locking position.

2. A coupler comprising means for receiving the end of a fitting havinga flange with a groove below, said receiving means having radialopenings, radially m0vable.1ocking members in said 0pening,.anindependently sliding sleeve inside the openings and capable of lockingout said members, an independently sliding sleeve exterior to them andcapable of locking in said members, means for independently biasing saidsleeves toward locking positions, the locfing members permitting onlyone sleeve at atime to be'located in looking position, said insidelocking sleeve being engageable with said flange to be pressed fromlocking position when the fitting is 3. A coupler comprising meansapplicable over a fltting,-radial openings in said means, radiallylocking members in the openings, an interior' locking sleeve and anexterior locking sleeve, said RUDY F. SCHNELLER.

